cup holders versus creation

yesterday, i learned that in consumer surveys americans rank 'fuel efficiency' just below the 'number of cup holders' among factors they consider when purchasing a new vehicle. anyone want to argue we are a christian nation? not if christians are required to be stewards of all creation.

well, okay. i admit that a difference of fuel efficiency plus or minus 20 mpg, does not amount to much more than a drop in an ocean-sized problem (so-called greenhouse gases and their connection to climate change on earth).

still, it bothered me when i heard the fact. it seems that regardless of where one comes down on the "what would jesus drive?" debate, living faith as a way of life would require fuel efficiency to rate very high among factors to be considered when purchasing a car, and not simply because the price of gas has now risen high enough to pinch our wallets. exactly because in our acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord, we are called to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. when and what we drive says something about both.

full disclosure: i drive a toyota corolla station wagon (about 28 mpg) and a honda odessy (ditto). i preached a sermon last fall on the 9th commandment and said that i coveted my sister-in-law's cool new car. everyone could relate, but when they found out she had a new honda civic hybrid, they laughed at their assumption that it would be a porche or something splashy. those of you who have read martin luther know his often used phrase 'the presumption of righteousness' and that describes me all too often. our greatest theologians have also been subtle psychologists, understanding the multitude of ways we seek to justify ourselves and so thwart god's desire to have us trust completely, pouring our life out for others without measuring. can i drive less, and commit to fuel efficency, and work for the care of all creation without having to mark it in my little 'god must like me cause look what i did' book? hmm.

anon, and +peace

Comments

[Joshua]

Interesting thoughts on Cars and Creation. I also like your blog in general.
Actually just yesterday I spoke with a friend of mine who is an Associate Pastor at a large wealthy Presbyterian Church in Silicon Valley. He was walking through the parking lot on Sunday and noticing all the cars, BMW, Porshce, Mercedes, etc. He also was aware of this survey and was wrestling with how to even begin to think about this subject in his own life and in the life of his congregation. In addition to preaching, study, etc. he wanted to try and find a tangible way to get people involved in both care for creation and for the poor. He had an idea on how to encourage people to at least think more about what they drive. He has titled it Kingdom Cars and the idea is to strike a deal with a car dealership that would allow people to trade in their new or slightly used expensive fuel sucking cars for two of equal size (say a BMW x5 for a Honda CRV). The extra car would be then donated to a poor family in a neighboring community or sold and the money used for the same thing. Who knows if it possible or would even catch on, but I think it takes this sort of imagination to begin to think more seriously about our integrated practices, especially as they relate to an entire local church body.

[Some Guy]

Oh my, you can't be for real. I don't think we should trash the earth but I don't think anyone is going to hell for driving a SUV. God is going to destroy this earth any way. I think we need to worry about People and not a fake scare over the Ozone.

[Anne Marie Griffin]

I have to respond to you, Some Guy! While we must worry about and work to care for People, we also have a responsibility to all the rest of God's creation! We cannot live in this wonderful world and not realize that we are directly connected to it. God expects us to be good stewards of creation. Each individual may not be able to make much difference but working together we can choose to live as a part of creation instead of in opposition to it.